Slider gas-bearing surface designs to mitigate effects of smear in heat-assisted magnetic recording

Abstract

Disclosed herein are sliders having air-bearing surface (ABS) designs to mitigate the effects of smear on near-field transducers used in data storage devices, and data storage devices comprising such sliders. A slider comprises a leading edge, a trailing edge, a NFT, and an ABS with features to increase oxygen concentration near the NFT. The ABS comprises a channel configured to direct gas in a direction from the leading edge toward the trailing edge and a funnel region connected to the channel, disposed between the channel and the NFT, and configured to receive gas from the channel. In an ABS view of the slider, a width of the funnel region along a longitudinal axis passing through the NFT monotonically increases with distance from the NFT.

We claim: 
     
       1. A slider for a data storage device, the slider comprising:
 a leading edge; 
 a trailing edge; 
 a near-field transducer (NFT); and 
 an air-bearing surface (ABS) comprising:
 a channel configured to direct gas in a direction from the leading edge toward the trailing edge; and 
 a funnel region connected to the channel, disposed between the channel and the NFT, and configured to receive gas from the channel, 
 
 
       wherein:
 in an ABS view of the slider, a width of the funnel region along a longitudinal axis passing through the NFT monotonically increases with distance from the NFT. 
 
     
     
       2. The slider recited in  claim 1 , wherein, in an ABS view of the slider, at least a portion of the funnel region has a linear v-shape. 
     
     
       3. The slider recited in  claim 1 , wherein, in an ABS view of the slider, at least a portion of the funnel region has a curved v-shape. 
     
     
       4. The slider recited in  claim 1 , wherein the funnel region comprises first and second side walls. 
     
     
       5. The slider recited in  claim 4 , wherein the first and second side walls intersect. 
     
     
       6. The slider recited in  claim 4 , wherein the funnel region further comprises a back wall disposed between the first and second side walls. 
     
     
       7. The slider recited in  claim 1 , wherein, in an orientation in which the ABS is oriented facing upward:
 an interior of the channel is at a first level, and 
 an interior of the funnel region is at a second level, the second level being above the first level. 
 
     
     
       8. The slider recited in  claim 1 , wherein, in an orientation in which the ABS is oriented facing upward, a longitudinal profile of the ABS taken through the channel and the funnel region comprises:
 a first segment, the first segment being within the channel, and 
 a second segment, the second segment being within the funnel region. 
 
     
     
       9. The slider recited in  claim 8 , wherein the first segment is below the second segment. 
     
     
       10. The slider recited in  claim 9 , wherein the first segment is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
       11. The slider recited in  claim 10 , wherein the second segment is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
       12. The slider recited in  claim 10 , wherein the second segment is sloped. 
     
     
       13. The slider recited in  claim 8 , wherein the second segment is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
       14. A data storage device comprising the slider recited in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       15. A slider for a data storage device, the slider comprising:
 a leading edge; 
 a trailing edge; 
 a near-field transducer (NFT); and 
 a gas-directing structure comprising a v-shaped funnel region configured to, in operation, increase a flow of oxygen molecules between the NFT and a media of the data storage device. 
 
     
     
       16. The slider recited in  claim 15 , wherein at least one interior surface of the v-shaped funnel region is linear. 
     
     
       17. The slider recited in  claim 15 , wherein at least one interior surface of the v-shaped funnel region is curved. 
     
     
       18. The slider recited in  claim 15 , wherein the gas-directing structure further comprises a channel configured to direct gas into the v-shaped funnel region. 
     
     
       19. The slider recited in  claim 18 , wherein the v-shaped funnel region comprises a first gas-bearing-surface level and the channel comprises a second gas-bearing-surface level, and wherein, with the slider disposed in the data storage device, a distance between the first gas-bearing-surface level and the media is less than a distance between the second gas-bearing-surface level and the media. 
     
     
       20. A data storage device comprising the slider recited in  claim 15 .